Rachel Shenton, who wrote and starred in the Oscar-winning short film The Silent Child, explains why she is backing Local Newspaper Week, which started yesterday

“I AM a huge supporter of local newspapers because they do so much good for the communities they serve,” says Rachel Shenton. Until earlier this year, she was best known for her role as feisty Mitzeee (with three e’s) Minniver in TV soap Hollyoaks. But the short film she wrote and starred in, The Silent Child, was named best live action short film at this year’s Academy Awards, taking her career to a whole new level.

The sign language film tells the story of Libby, a profoundly deaf four-year-old girl, who lives a silent life until a social worker, played by Shenton, teaches her how to communicate through sign language. Shenton wrote the film because of the experiences of her father, who became deaf after undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer when she was just 12. Following his death, she learned British Sign Language and is now an ambassador for the National Deaf Children’s Society.

The actress and writer, who was born in Stoke-on-Trent, is now helping to publicise Local Newspaper Week, which started yesterday and runs until Sunday. It aims to celebrate the role played by local newspapers in communities across the UK and is marking its 20th anniversary this year.

Shenton uses the example of her own local paper, The Sentinel, as a way of describing why local journalists are so valuable. Similar to The Northern Echo’s own Local Heroes Awards honouring people involved in grassroots sport, The Sentinel runs an annual Our Heroes Awards campaign recognising inspirational individuals and unsung heroes from across North Staffordshire and South Cheshire.

Shenton says: “Having attended for the past four years, I have seen first-hand the enormous boost these awards give to the local community. They shine a spotlight on those who go the extra mile to help other people, often with little or no reward for themselves. They inspire others to follow their example. And the awards enable all of us to get together for an evening and meet new people who we might not otherwise run into during the course of our daily lives.

“Making new connections between these inspirational people can result in really positive things happening in the community.”

Shenton, who is engaged to Chris Overton, who directed The Silent Child, believes trusted and accurate news information produced by local papers is more important than ever before in the age of so-called “fake news” which pops up all over social media networks. She says: “We rely on trained local newspaper journalists to separate fact from fiction and get to the truth, even if powerful interests would rather it remained hushed up. In addition to holding the powerful to account, journalism has other important benefits such as promoting literacy.

“And the Making a Difference campaigns for this year’s Local Newspaper Week show exactly how local newspapers can bring about real positive change through powerful editorial campaigning.”

Making a Difference is an annual award which sees members of the public invited to vote for their favourite local newspaper campaign from the past year.

“We must do everything we can to protect our local papers because they do so much good in our society which, sadly, we sometimes take for granted,” adds Shenton.

“So, during Local Newspaper Week, which this year is celebrating its 20th anniversary, I am urging all those reading this to stand up for their local paper.

“Local papers are the lifeblood of democracy in this country and we must do everything we can to ensure they not only survive, but flourish in the years to come.

“I am delighted to give my support to Local Newspaper Week this year and would like to wish all local papers and their readers the very best for the future.”